The present invention relates to a poke through floor fitting that enables access to both electrical outlets and telecommunication connections. More specifically, the present invention relates to a fire-rated poke through floor fitting for use in a four-inch diameter bore that has four electrical outlets and eight telecommunication jacks while maintaining a low profile.
Typically, fire-rated poke through fittings provide a housing for electrical outlets and/or telecommunication jacks. Generally, these poke through fittings are mounted in a core-drilled, approximately three or four inch diameter hole, which is commonly formed in a concrete floor.
Only a limited number of holes can be drilled in a given concrete floor, while maintaining the floor""s structural integrity. For example, some codes require only one through hole for every 65 square feet of floor. Therefore, it is important that each fitting provide the maximum number of electrical outlets and/or telecommunication jacks.
In addition, due to the three or four inch diameter of the bore used for the typical poke through fittings, the size of the typical fitting is inherently constrained, especially if it is desirable to keep the fitting as close to the floor as possible, i.e., if it is advantageous to keep the fitting relatively flat with a low profile. The consistently increasing need for additional electrical outlets and telecommunication access at each workstation has made the prior art fittings deficient due to the limited number of electrical outlets and the limited amount of telecommunication access. This is especially true when a low profile, but easily accessible fitting is desired. Prior art fittings are also deficient in that they require complicated bus bar configurations due to the limited space within the fitting.
Examples of prior art fittings are disclosed in the following U.S. patents: U.S. Pat. No. 4,770,643 to Castellani et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,323,724 to Shine; U.S. Pat. No. 5,008,491 to Bowman; U.S. Pat. No. 5,442,434 to Wuertz et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,393,930 to Wuertz; U.S. Pat. No. 5,272,278 to Wuertz; U.S. Pat. No. 5,237,128 to Wuertz; U.S. Pat. No. 5,220,131 to Wuertz; U.S. Pat. No. 5,121,594 to Wuertz; U.S. Pat. No. 4,433,204 to Wuertz; U.S. Pat. No. 4,336,416 to Goodsell; U.S. Pat. No. 4,243,835 to Ehrenfels; U.S. Pat. No. 5,410,103 to Wuertz; U.S. Pat. No. 4,496,790 to Spencer; U.S. Pat. No. 4,922,668 to Payne; U.S. Pat. No. 4,266,266 to Sanner; U.S. Pat. No. 5,460,542 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,763,826 to Castellani et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,583,799 to Wiley the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved fire-rated poke through floor fitting with a relatively large number of electrical outlets and/or telecommunication jacks.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a poke through floor fitting capable of limiting the transfer of heat, smoke and flame from a fire therethrough, while still allowing numerous electrical wires to pass through the fitting.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a poke through floor fitting about the same size as the aperture in the floor and still prevent heat, smoke and flame from a fire from passing through the fitting.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a poke through floor fitting that allows access to four electrical outlets and eight telecommunication jacks through the aperture in the floor while maintaining a low profile.
The foregoing objects are basically obtained by providing a poke through fitting extending through an aperture in a floor, comprising a housing having a top surface, a portion of the housing received within the aperture in the floor, at least three electrical outlets received within the housing, each of the outlets being accessible through at least one access opening in the top surface of the housing and at least five telecommunication jacks coupled to the housing.
By forming a poke through fitting according to the present invention, the fitting is able to fit a large number of both electrical outlets and telecommunication jacks into an aperture in a floor while still maintaining the size limitations for existing apertures. Additionally, by forming a poke through according to the present invention, it is not necessary to create as many holes in a floor as required in the past to allow access to the same number of telecommunication jacks and electrical outlets.
Other objects, advantages and salient features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description which, taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment of the invention.